C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS)
{{short description|Non-periodic comet}}
{{Infobox comet
| name = C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS)
| image = C 2016 R2 PanSTARRS.jpg
| caption = Comet PanSTARRS photographed from the Mount Lemmon Observatory on 16 January 2018
| discovery_ref = {{r|MPEC_2016-R107}}
| discoverer = Pan-STARRS
| discovery_site = Haleakalā Observatory
| discovery_date = 30 August 2016
| designations = CK16R020
| orbit_ref = {{r|jpl}}
| epoch = 29 May 2018 (JD 2458267.5)
| observation_arc = 1,762 days (4.82 years)
| obs = 4,319
| perihelion = 2.602 AU
| aphelion = ~1,410 AU
| semimajor = ~705 AU
| period = ~18,700 years
| eccentricity = 0.99631
| inclination = 58.224°
| asc_node = 80.569°
| arg_peri = 33.192°
| mean = 0.001°
| tjup = 1.060
| Earth_moid = 1.720 AU
| Jupiter_moid = 2.117 AU
| physical_ref = {{r|jpl|cobs_2016r2}}
| M1 = 7.3
| M2 = 11.2
| magnitude = 9.8
{{small|(2018 apparition)}}
| last_p = 9 May 2018
| next_p =
}}
C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS) is a comet, discovered using the Pan-STARRS telescopes on September 7, 2016. The comet attracted attention from many astronomers as it approached its closest point to the Sun in May 2018.{{r|apod-20180112}} It has been observed to have a very complex tail, which has been suggested to be due to a fast rotation period of the nucleus.
The comet orbits the Sun on a 20,000 year orbit, which takes it out about 740 AU.{{r|phys.org1}} It was found to differ from typical comets, and was found to be rich in carbon monoxide (CO) but depleted in hydrogen cyanide (HCN), resulting in a blue coma.{{r|phys.org1|Wierzchoś_2018}} The blue color is thought to come from the rich amounts of carbon monoxide being ionized.{{r|space.com1}} The comet was also noted to be rich in nitrogen.{{r|scinews1}}
The comet was observed by a submillimeter wavelength telescope in the late 2010s.{{r|phys.org1}}
The comet made its closest approach to the Sun in May 2018, and its blue, teal, and dust tail were noted as an astronomical target.{{r|space.com1}} Blue comets are a less common type of comet.{{r|scinews1}}
Gallery
C2016 R2 (PANSTARRS).tif|Comet C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS) taken by SPECULOOS project.{{r|eso1}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|refs=
| title= Blue Comet PanSTARRS
| date= 12 January 2018 }}
| title= Observation list for C/2016 R2
| url= https://cobs.si/obs_list?id=1624
| website= COBS – Comet OBServation database
| access-date= 24 January 2025 }}
| title= Once in a Blue Comet
| url= https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1940a/
| website= www.eso.org
| publisher= European Southern Observatory
| access-date= 8 October 2019 }}
| title= C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS) – JPL Small-Body Database Lookup
| url= https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2016R2
| website= ssd.jpl.nasa.gov
| publisher= Jet Propulsion Laboratory
| access-date= 26 November 2018 }}
| author1= G. V. Williams
| title= MPEC 2016-R107: Comet C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS)
| url= https://www.minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K16/K16RA7.html
| website= www.minorplanetcenter.net
| publisher= Minor Planet Center
| date= 9 September 2016
| access-date= 26 November 2018 }}
| author1= T. Nowakowski
| title= Comet C/2016 R2 (Pan-STARRS) is rich in carbon monoxide and depleted in hydrogen cyanide, study finds
| url= https://phys.org/news/2018-05-comet-c2016-r2-pan-starrs-rich.html
| website= Phys.org
| date= 30 May 2018
| access-date= 17 November 2018 }}
| author1= S. Prostak
| title= Astronomers Spot Rare Blue Comet: C/2016 R2
| url= https://www.sci.news/astronomy/blue-comet-c2016-r2-06506.html
| website= www.sci.news
| date= 16 October 2018
| access-date= 17 November 2018 }}
| author1= H. Weitering
| title= Rare Carbon-Monoxide Comet Turns Blue in Stunning Deep-Space Photos
| url= https://www.space.com/39579-rare-blue-carbon-monoxide-comet-photos.html
| website= Space.com
| date= 6 February 2018
| access-date= 17 November 2018 }}
| author1= K. Wierzchoś
| author2= M. Womack
| title= C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS): A comet rich in CO and depleted in HCN
| url= https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-3881/aac6bc/pdf
| journal= Astronomical Journal
| volume= 156
| issue= 1
| pages= 1–14
| arxiv= 1805.06918
| bibcode= 2018AJ....156...34W
| doi= 10.3847/1538-3881/aac6bc
| doi-access= free }}
}}
External links
- {{JPL Small Body|id=1003481}}
- [https://theskylive.com/c2016r2-info Comet C/2016 R2 (PanSTARRS) Information | TheSkyLive.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121184437/https://theskylive.com/c2016r2-info |date=2018-01-21 }}
{{Small Solar System bodies}}
{{Comets}}
{{2016 in space}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:PanSTARRS, 2016 R2}}
Category:Discoveries by Pan-STARRS
{{Comet-stub}}